A seat and leg operated load lifting device

ABSTRACT

An improved weight training device particularly adapted for exercise of the lower limbs includes a simple lever to the lower end of which are connected foot pedals. The lever is pivoted at about its midpoint and is telescopically extendable. The upper end of the lever is connected via a cable or chain to the upper end of a weight stack. Movement of the upper end of the lever by corresponding movement of the lower end of the lever in the opposite direction is accomplished by pushing against the foot pedals, so as to raise or lower the weight stack. The device includes a seat positioned a suitable distance from the foot pedals on the side opposite the stack.

@fiiififi States Patent 1 Nist et ai.

1541 A SEAT AND LEG OPERATED LOAD LIFTING DEVICE [75] Inventors: DonaldE. Nist, Pasadena; Jay H.

Quartz, Mar Vista, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Whittaker Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif,

22 Filed: Oct.26,l971

211 Appl.N0.: 192,420

UNITED STATES PATENTS Zinkin ..272/8l X 1 3,734,495 1 May 22, 19733,380,737 4/1968 Elia et al. ..272/72 Primary Examiner-Richard C.Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne [57] ABSTRACT An improvedweight training device particularly adapted for exercise of the lowerlimbs includes a simple lever to the lower end of which are connectedfoot pedals. The lever is pivoted at about its midpoint and istelescopically extendable. The upper end of the lever is connected via acable or chain to the upper end of a weight stack. Movement of the upperend of the lever by corresponding movement of the lower end of the leverin the opposite direction is accomplished by pushing against the footpedals, so as to raise or lower the weight stack. The device includes aseat positioned a suitable distance from the foot pedals on the sideopposite the stack.

A SEAT AND LEG OPERATED LOAD LIFTING DEVICE BACKGROUND 1. Field ofInvention The present invention generally relates to weight trainingdevices, particularly those for exercise of the lower limbs.

2. Prior Art Most of the exercising devices presently in use arerelatively complicated in construction and are expensive. Those deviceswhich are particularly adapted for exercise of the lower limbs usuallyemploy a bar or seat or stool spaced from a pair of foot pedalsinterconnected to a stack of weights by means of an A-frame or bellcrank or the like. In some instances, a complicated set of pulleys andcables is involved to translate the forward movement of the foot pedalsto upward movement of the weight stack. However, although such devicesgenerally are suitable for use in situations where a large initialoutlay can be easily amortized by extensive use by a plurality ofexercisers, there is a need for a more compact, simplified and lessexpensive device which has few moving parts and needs less than theusual amount of maintenance and care.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is inexpensive, employs fewmoving parts, can be made relatively compact with the weight stack closeto the weight stack-moving components and user (to facilitate changingof the weights on the stack) and is more readily suitable as economyapparatus. A particularly desireable feature, although optional, is thetelescoping upper arm of the lever employed in the device which permitsa change in the effective force applicable through the lever.Preferably, weight selector means and an adjustable seat are alsoprovided so that the device is completely adaptable to all ages andsizes of exercisers. In a simplified version of the device, guide meanssuch as the usual type of pulleys seen in conventional devices areeliminated and the device can be made relatively narrower from the frontto back so as to readily fit within the confined space usuallyassociated with home use requirements.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment ofthe improved device of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic fragmentary view, partly in section and partlybroken away, of the upper telescoping portion of the lever means shownin FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of thedevice of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1 and 2 FIG. 1 schematically illustrates inperspective view a preferred embodiment of the improved weight trainingdevice of the invention. In this regard, a device is depicted whichincludes weight means in the form of a generally vertically orientedstack 12 of weights 13 such as are usually fabricated of cast iron,steel or the like and which are supported in position in device 10 byweight support means comprising a pair of vertical bars 14 and 16extending through apertures 18 and 20 in stack 12. Bars 14 and 16 aresecured at their upper and lower ends thereof to a frame 22, as shown inFIG.

l. A cross-member 23 is connected to bars 14 and 16 below stack 12 tosupport the same above the lower end of. frame 22. Frame 22, bars 14 and16 and crossmember 23 can be fabricated of, for example, iron,structural steel or the like.

Frame 22 includes base members 24 vertical members 26, diagonal crossmembers 28 and a top frame member 30 interconnected as by welding or thelike. Spaced forwardly of stack 12 and generally vertically oriented isa lever bar 32 pivotally connected at about its midpoint to a generallyhorizontally aligned lever support bar 34 secured to the upper end offront vertical members 26 of frame 22. The lower end 36 of bar 32 isspaced above the lower end of frame 22 and bears foot support means inthe form of a pair of spaced pedals 38 interconnected with each otherand bar 32 by a cross-brace 40. pedals 38 face outwardly from the frontend of device 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The upper end 42 of lever bar 32is hollow, as shown more particularly in FIG. 2, and includes atelescoping member 44 extendable upwardly therefrom. As is particularlyshown in FIG. 2, member 44 is provided with a head 46 bearing an eye 48for connection of lever 32 to weight stack 12, as more particularlydescribed hereafter. Member 44 may be provided with a closed lower end50 to increase its strength and both end 42 of bar 32 and member 44preferably are provided with aligned apertures 52, as shown in FIG. 2,through which a pin 54 is releaseably disposed to secure member 44 inany desired extended or unextended position, such as that shown in FIG.2. It will be understood that bar 32 and member 44 thereof can befabricated of any suitable material such as steel or the like capable ofexerting the required leverage without bending.

Stack 12 is provided with a pull bar 56 extending up through apertures58 in the weights 13 of the stack. Apertures 60 are provided in theindividual weights 13 of stack 12 and in bar 56 so that a selector pin62 can be releaseably extended therethrough to permit lifting of anydesired number of weights 13 from stack 12.

The upper end of bar 56 is connected to connecting means in the form ofa cable (or chain or the like) 64 which is trained over a pulley 66secured by braces 68 to top frame member 30, runs to eye 48 and issecured thereto by suitable means such as a hook or the like (notshown).

A body support means in the form of a seat 70 is provided with a bottomcushion 72 and backrest 74. Seat 70 is secured to a seat support frame76 and seat 70 and frame 76 are provided with aligned apertures 78therein through which a pin 80 can be disposed to releaseably positionseat 70 any desired distance from pedals 38, so as to accommodateexercisers of various sizes and leg lengths.

With the device shown in FIG. 1 and 2, the exerciser can pre-select anydesired weight (via the weight selector) to push with the legs. Theeffective force exerted through the lever bar 32 can also be adjusted bytelescoping member 44 to the desired location and securing it in placeby pin 54. Seat 70 is adjusted so that when the exerciser is seated heis at a comfortable distance from pedals 38 with his legs partiallydrawn up and his feet in contact with pedals 38. The exerciser thenpushes his feet forward against pedals 38 to pivot the lower end of bar32 towards device 10, causing the upper end of bar 32 to move towardsthe exerciser and pull up the preselected amount of weights 13 fromstack 12. This affords valuable controlled leg exercise. Easing up ofthe pushing force lowers weights 13 on stack 12 and returns theexercisers legs to the starting position for a repeat of the exercise.

FIG. 3

FIG. 3 is the simplified version of the device of the invention.Components substantially identical to those of FIG. I bear in FIG. 3 thesame numerals but are succeeded by the letter a. It will be noted fromFIG. 3 that no pulley is interposed between the weight stack 12a and theupper end of lever bar 32a, which in this version does not include anextendable member. It will also be noted that weight stack 12a issupported higher above ground level in frame 220 than in device in orderto minimize the angle between the upper end of bar 32a and the top ofstack 12a. For this purpose, an inverted U-shaped support member 78supports stack 12a in the desired starting position. Moreover, bars 14aand 16a are pivotally connected to the upper end of member 78 (bysuitable pivot means) and they are joined together at their upper endsby a cross-member 80 to which a limit bar 82 is secured. Bar 82 extendsrearwardly through member30a is provided at its rearward terminus with astop 84. It will also be noted that frame 22a is narrower from front toback than is frame 22 and thus fits into a smaller space.

Use of device 10a is similar to that of device 10 in that forwardmovement of pedals 38a away from the exerciser causes pivoting of bar32a so that the upper end thereof moves towards the exerciser, thuslifting that portion of stack 12a pinned by selector pin 62a to selectorbar 56a through aperture 60a. Because of the angle of cable 64a betweenstack 12a and bar 32a, it is desireable to have stack 12a pivot forwardwhen pedals 38a are pushed away from the exerciser. The describedarrangement of components permits this to be carried out effectively.Stack 12a returns to an upright position when pedals 38a are permittedto return to the start position.

It will be understood that the present device can, if desired, beutilized for exercising of parts of the body other than the legs. Thus,the body support means of the device can be, for example, in the form ofpush blocks (not shown) against which the heels of the exerciser can bepositioned and the exerciser can grasp with the hands the lower portionof the lever arm at any point below the pivot point and push away fromhim towardsthe device to exercise the arms and torso. An inclined planeor table can also be used in place of the seat, stool or bench. Ifdesired, the lever can be placed higher above the bottom of the deviceto facilitate gripping its lower portion, and the exact positioning ofthe grip relative to the pivot point thereof will determine theeffective force necessary to raise the weight stack. Moreover, theweight stack can be disposed in other than an upright position, ifdesired, in order to accommodate desired component alignments, etc.Accordingly, the present device is capable of a plurality ofmodifications for various exercising purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved weight training device comprising:

a. a weight stack comprising a plurality of stacked weights;

b. a frame;

0. a weight support connected to said stack and to said frame;

d. a generally horizontal lever support member connected to said frame;

e. a generally vertical lever bar pivotally connected to said supportmember for rotation therearound, said lever bar including at the upperend thereof a releasably telescoping lever extension member;

f. a pair of foot pedals connected to the lower end of said lever bar onthe side thereof opposite said stack;

g. an elongated flexible connecting member interconnecting said weightsupport and said lever extension member; and, g

h. a seat spaced from, but adjacent to said device and on the same sidethereof as said foot pedals.

2. The improved device of claim 1 wherein said device includes at leastone pulley connected to said frame between said weight stack and saidlever bar and over said elongated flexible connecting member is trained.

3. The improved device of claim 1 wherein said device includes anadjustable seat support connected to said frame and adapted toreleasably position said seat in spaced relation to said foot pedals andwherein said extension member includes a tube slidably received within acavity in the upper end of said lever bar and a pin releasably receivedwithin mating apertures extending through the sidewall of said tube andsaid upper end.

1. An improved weight training device comprising: a. a weight stackcomprising a plurality of stacked weights; b. a frame; c. a weightsupport connected to said stack and to said frame; d. a generallyhorizontal lever support member connected to said frame; e. a generallyvertical lever bar pivotally connected to said support member forrotation therearound, said lever bar including at the upper end thereofa releasably telescoping lever extension member; f. a pair of footpedals connected to the lower end of said lever bar on the side thereofopposite said stack; g. an elongated flexible connecting memberinterconnecting said weight support and said lever extension member;and, h. a seat spaced from, but adjacent to said device and on the sameside thereof as said foot pedals.
 2. The improved device of claim 1wherein said device includes at least one pulley connected to said framebetween said weight stack and said lever bar and over said elongatedflexible connecting member is trained.
 3. The improved device of claim 1whereIn said device includes an adjustable seat support connected tosaid frame and adapted to releasably position said seat in spacedrelation to said foot pedals and wherein said extension member includesa tube slidably received within a cavity in the upper end of said leverbar and a pin releasably received within mating apertures extendingthrough the sidewall of said tube and said upper end.